Proposal would raise minimum wage

There’s another proposal to raise the minimum wage in Wisconsin. It’s from state Representative Corey Mason, a Racine Democrat, whose proposal would increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $7.60 an hour. The bill would also tie annual increases to the rate of inflation.

Minimum wage legislation failed to advance in the last session of the legislature, when Democrats had control and Democratic Governor Jim Doyle was in office. This time, Republicans will likely say the move would kill jobs.

“Every time that the minimum wage has been increased, they’ve argued that it will kill jobs. And every time the minimum wage is increased, it doesn’t kill jobs,” said Mason, adding that those making the minimum are earning about $15,000 a year.

“The governor and Republicans are singing songs of bipartisanship for the September session that’s coming up. This would give them a real opportunity to do what they say they want to do, which is reach across the aisle and help average working people in the state.”